1. Field of the Invention
The subject invention relates to an electrical connector for interconnecting a plurality of electrical signals, the electrical connector being panel mountable and profiled for interconnection to a matable connector.
2. Description of the Prior Art
There exists within the data communications industry an application using printed circuit board mounted electrical connectors for transferring information into and out of a computer, the term used in the art for the connection being generally referred to as an I/O connection. Typically at the interface of the computer, there exists an electrical connector which will interconnect the internals of the computer with the external or peripheral equipment such as the keyboard, the monitor, the printer, phone modem, or the like. Typically, the electrical connectors are mounted at the back wall, or panel, of the computer such that an interconnection can be made without interfering with the internal works of the computer. A mating connector is then installed from the exterior of the computer panel to interconnect the internal electronics with the exterior equipment. Thus it is important for the electrical connector to project through the panel of the computer, or the like, for electrical interconnection thereto.
Electrical connectors exist which, when interconnected to discrete wires, are insertable through either the front or the rear of the panel. When the connector is inserted from the rear, the through hole is of course larger than the connector which could cause a radiation window. If the connector is installed from the front of the panel the discrete wires must be fed through the panel from the front, as the discrete wires must be terminated to the electrical connector prior to the mounting of the electrical connector. This prevents removal of the housing without also removing the interconnection of the discrete wires, thereby hindering the maintenance of the internals of the computer.
Electrical connectors also exist which are connectable to printed circuit boards, the connectors in turn being mountable to the interior of a panel. However, when the electrical connector is interconnected to a printed circuit board, the front interface portion can only be inserted through the rear of the panel, as the right angled portion of the connector with the printed circuit board attached can not be inserted into the interior of the panel through the front of the panel. The electrical connector is installed from the rear of the panel through a cutout which is formed in the panel. The access or cutout hole in the panel must be large enough to allow the front interface portion of the panel mounted connector to be inserted from the rear of the panel and through the panel, but it also must be large enough to allow the housing of the mating connector to project through the panel such that the housing of the mating connector abuts the housing of the panel mounted connector. If the system is to be shielded, the access hole prevents effective shielding of the electronic unit, as the panel itself is typically part of the shielding.
The printed circuit boards to which the electrical connectors are interconnected typically have a plurality of electronic packages, such as dual in-line packages (DIPs), electrically connected thereto. It is critical in the assembly of such an electrical connector to a printed circuit board that the terminals, which align with and project through the printed circuit board through holes, stay in alignment prior to their installation in the printed circuit board. Typically the connectors are robotically inserted onto the printed circuit board and then are run through a wave soldering bath to interconnect the connector to the traces on the board. If the connector terminals are not aligned with the through holes of the printed circuit board when the robot attempts to place the connector onto the board, the connector and possibly the printed circuit board are damaged.
One such connector which was designed for panel mounting which also keeps the terminals aligned with the printed circuit board through holes is disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 4,469,387. The connector includes an upper and lower shroud member which encloses a comb member. The comb member is movable from a lower position to an upper position as the connector is lowered onto the printed circuit board. When the comb member is in its lowered position, the terminals are aligned within the channels of the combs which aligns the terminals with the through holes of the printed circuit board. Once the terminals mate with the through holes, the comb member is raised to an upper position where it is away from the circuit board and within the housing of the connector. Thus, the comb member's only function for the connector is to align the terminals with the printed circuit board, and the only function for the upper and lower shroud is to house the comb member. This arrangement, although it is technically feasible, is sometimes cost prohibitive due to the assembly cost of the component parts.